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and the cut of the skirt would have scared me away. But the slightly dusky, rich raspberry pink wool suited the warm tones of my skin and light brown hair. And the fitted lines of the suit brought out the curves I was always trying to hide, making me look professional but still feminine.
    I usually wore my hair in a bun, but without my pins it would have to stay down. The softer style looked good with the new suit. Torn between being annoyed at Sam and loving the outfit Lola had put together, I arranged the coordinating scarf and left the room, thinking that I needed the coffee I’d never had the chance to drink.
    Striding into the kitchen, trying not to enjoy the feel of the new heels as they clicked against the hardwood floors, I froze when I saw Sam’s face. Warned of my arrival by the sound of my shoes coming down the hall, he’d looked up to see me enter. His blue eyes widened and his mouth dropped just a little. Then, alarmingly, those intent eyes narrowed, and he scanned me from head to toe, his expression satisfied and proprietary.
    I pretended to ignore the shiver that went down my spine at his look and headed for my abandoned coffee sitting on the counter. Sam got to it first. Standing to block me, he scooped up the coffee mug and poured it out into the sink.
    “It’s cold. Let me make you more.” He set up the single-cup brewer and slid my mug into place, ready to be filled. Turning to face me, he gave me another once over. “You look beautiful,” he said. “I’m throwing out the rest of your clothes, too. If everything Lola picked out looks as good as that suit, I’ll have to lock you in the office to keep all the guys away.”
    I’m pretty sure my jaw dropped. Retorts spun in my mind, so many I didn’t know where to start. Sam had called me beautiful. He’d said I looked so good he’d have to lock me up. And he also said he was going to throw out the rest of my clothes. Clearly the visit to crazy town we’d taken last night when he’d kissed me was not over. My mind unable to process, I said the first thing that sprang to my lips.
    “I don’t understand.”
    “What don’t you understand?” Sam asked, cocking an eyebrow at me. I’d always thought it was cute when he raised one eyebrow. At that moment I had the sudden urge to swat the arrogant expression off his face. I was unbalanced enough with Nolan missing. I didn’t need Sam to go nuts on me at the same time.
    “Everything. Why am I here? Why didn’t you just take me to a hotel? And why would you ask Lola to buy me clothes? I have clothes.” I didn’t have the guts to mention the kiss the night before. Part of me still wondered if that had been a dream.
    The coffee maker kicked on, and Sam concentrated on watching the cup fill with steaming liquid, avoiding my question.
    “Sam?” I prompted in a quiet voice, beginning to worry. When the cup was full, he added a splash of cream, stirred and handed it to me. Leveling his eyes on my face, his expression serious, he said,
    “I’m not sure you’re ready to talk about this.”
    “I don’t even know what this is,” I answered, drinking the hot coffee to cover my confusion.
    “I know. I’ve handled everything with you the wrong way from the beginning. I can’t fix that now. So we’re starting from scratch. And if I fuck it up, you’ll just have to bear with me.”
    “Sam,” I said helplessly, his answer no answer at all. “What do you mean you handled me the wrong way?”
    Leaning back against the counter, he picked up his own coffee and took a long sip, his eyes on my face. I couldn’t tell if he was studying my expression or trying to think of what to say. Maybe both. Finally, he spoke.

7
Chloe
    “ U s ,” Sam said, still studying my face. “You and me. That’s what I handled the wrong way. I thought I could have everything. You in the office and other women just to date. They never meant anything when I had you to come back to. But then I realized I didn’t want